Device for indicating the faulty operation of ignition-valves and carbureters of internal-combustion engines.



0. T. PAPKE.

nevlcf ron mmcmm 1HE FAuLTY oPERAnoN oF mwmoN vALvEs AND cARaunETERs of INTERNAL coMusnoN memes.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26.1918- 1,286,751. Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

OTTO T. PAPKE, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR, INDIGATING THE FAULTY OPERATION 'OF IGNITION-VALVES AND u CARBURETERS OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Appiicetion ined Maren ze, 191s. serial Nb. 224,794.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO FAPKE, a German Subj ect, residing at Joliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in -De- Vices for Indicating the Faulty Operation of Ignition-Valves and Carbureters of Internal-Combustion Engines, of whichv the following is a specification.

This invention is a device for indicating the faulty operation of ignition-valves, an

carbureters of internal combustionengines,

and is more particularly adapted for use by owners, operators, and repair nien, wherein the'device may be employed either permanently-or temporarily as is desired, and

` when used temporarily, loose parts, such as chains, screw drivers, hammers, and unnecessary wires, are avoided. l

One object of the invention is to pro-f vide a device for testing wherein each and all of the circuits leadin to the spark (plugs may be opened or s ort circuite by grounding.

Another'object of the invention is to provide a supplementary spark gap to visually denote the sparking condition of the ignition system.

The shop method of testing ignition is by short circuiting the spark plugs by means of a screw driver, hammer, or other metallic object. This does not always produce a good Contact for grounding. Again when it is desired to test the spark plug to see whether current is passing to the sparking points, the lead wire is detached and held a short distance away from the terminal. Both of these methods are make shifts but are commonly employed.

To avoid such methods this instrument is devised and its construction and assembly are such that it may be as readily used as the old method. At the same time it will be more accurate with less trouble in attaching and connecting.

The invention broadly stated comprises a base formed of insulating material and having a groove extending longitudinally, a slidable cover for the groove, a plurality of spaced V-shaped recesses in the base', a switch blade pivotally mounted in each of the recesses, a pair of spaced terminals in each of the recesses and adapted to coperate with the switch blade, a plurality of passages for receiving conductors, one of said conductors having a spark gap therein, the

`spark plug, another conductor for connecting 4the switch blade to a coil terminal, and anotherv conductor connecting the other switch terminal to a ground connection, said switch blade being adapted to open the circuit leading to a spark plug or to cut out the park plug by groundlng the coil connecion.

One practical form of construction and assembly will be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin whichz- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view with the engine and coil shown in dotted lines and the device in perspective,l

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the assembled device, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2.

In the preferred embodiment about to be described there is provided a base 5 preferably formed of some suitable insulating material such as hard rubber or fiber. The upper side 6 of the base 5 is provided With a groove 7 that extends longitudinally thereof. As shown this groove 7 is approximately rectangular. The groove has its side walls provided with other grooves indicated at 8 and 9 which latter grooves are preferably in alinement and are adapted to receive a cover 10 that may be formed of glass.

The base 5 is provided with a series of transversely arranged approximately V- shaped recesses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15', and 16. Each one of -the. recesses 11 to 16 inclusive is provided with the shouldered portions indicated at 17 and 18. These shouldered ortions 17 are adapted to receive and orm seats for the terminals 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24.' These terminals are preferably of the same width as the width of the recesses and are provided with suitable holes so that the screws 25, may pass therethrough and be engaged with the base 5.

The terminals 19 to 24 inclusive are provided with a slanting or sloping side 24 which slo e or slant is approximately the same as t e slope or slant of the V-shaped recesses in which it is seated..' The shoulders indicated at 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 324. These 18 are adapted to receive similar terminals I terminals are also held in position by means of the screws 33.

The terminals 27 to 32 inclusive are each connected to a ground wire or common conductor 34 that is placed in a suitable passage extending longitudinally of the base 5. In each of the recesses 11 to 16 there is pivotally mounted a switch blade 35. Each ofl the switch blades is provided with a handle as indicated 4at 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41. The pivotal connection for the blade being indicated at 42 in Fig. 3. l

Each one of the switch blades has connected to it a conductor 43, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 3. These conductors 43 pass through the passages 44 that are formed transversely of the base 5. The passages 44 may be provided with a counter' bored portion 45 so that the end 0f the insulated cable 46 may be provided with a terminal.

The terminals for each one of the cables 46 are indicated at 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, and 52. The terminals 47 to 52 inclusive connect with the leads 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 that come from the terminals of the coil box A. As

e shown the conductors 43 pass through the base 5 substantially parallel to its underside so as to directly connect with thev switch blades 35.

Each one of the terminals 19 to 24 inclusive has connected to it a short rod, the rods being indicated at 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, and 64. These rods 59 to 64 inclusive extend through suitable passages that are so arranged that the terminals of these rods are in the groove 7 and below the cover 10. A passage 65 is formed in alinement with the passage that receives the short rods and this passage is also adapted to receive rods 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 and 71.

The ends 0f the rods 66 to 71 inclusive are spaced from the ends of the rods 59 to 64 inclusive. The spacing providing a gap space has a supplementary spark gap. Each one of the passages maybe provided concentric thereto with counter bored portions 72, one of which is indicated in Fig. 3. These counter bored portions are adapted to receive the ends of the cables 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78. The cables 73 to 78 inclusive are vprovided with terminals for connecting with the spark lugs indicated at 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, and 84. ne of the terminals being indicated at 85 in Fig. 3..

The spark plugs 79 to 84 are mounted in the usual place in the engine B shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1 the conductor 34 connects with the cable S5 having the terminal 86. This terminal 86 is preferably connected to the engine at 87 so :is to form a grounding point.

In connecting up the device as shown in Fig. 1 the round terminal is connected at some siiitab e point upon the engine as indicated at 87. The switch handles 36 to 41 maker.

tween the sparking terminals 59 to 64 inelusive and 66 to 71 inclusive.

If the spark passing through the supplementary ga is thin and stringy or is very fat the spar plug points should be adj usted. If the spark plugs are in good condition and the gaps thereof are the correct size and then there isirregularsparking at the supplementary gaps it would indicate that there is trouble in the ignition system.

If the battery and generator connections are good and there is suflicient current passing and Ithe sparking is still poor the trouble will then be found in the wires, switch, distri'buter, contact breaker, coil or contact In order to test each one of the spark plugs separately the switch handles may be moved over so that they will contact with the switch blade terminals 27 to 32 inclusive.

As each switch blade 35 comes in contact with one of these last named terminals the circuit leading and its respective spark plug will be grounded through the conductor 34 and therefore no action will take place in the c linder. In order to test for valve grinding all of the cylinders except one should be grounded so that no explosions will take place therein.

Misiring may then be indicated by faulty ignition, too lean or too rich a mixture from the carbureter, faulty sparkv plug, faulty valves or poor compression. By this vmeans each one of the cylinders may betested separately and independently merely by moving the switchhaiidles 36 to 41 that control the movement of the switch blades 35. A

By conining the operation of the engine vto a single cylinder delivering power, the several defects of the engine may be more easily found. Thus connecting rod bearing knocks piston slaps, loose or worn piston pins and their bushin may readily be found as the engine cylin er is delivering power and approximates a load condition.

What is claimed is:

1. A testing device, which comprises a base formed of insulating material, said base having a longitudinally extending groove near one side, a cover for the groove, terminals for connecting with the spark plugs, coils, and a ground, and switching means for connecting the coil terminals to the ground.

2. A testin device which comprises a base formed o insulating material and having a groove extending longitudinally thereof, said base being provide with spaced a proximately V-Shaped recesses, terminals in the recesses, a switch blade pivotally mounted in each recess and adapted to engage with the terminals, a conductor connected to each switch blade and adapted t0 be connected to a coil terminal, a conductor adapted to be connected with -a spark plug and having a spark gap therein, said spark gap being disposed in the groove and having` one of its points connected to a recess terminal, the other and opposite recess terminals being connected to a common conductor adapted to -form a ground connection.

3. A testing device, which comprises abuse, a plurality of approximately V-shaped recesses hav1ng shouldered portions at their upper ends, a slam-ting face switch terminal mounted and secured 1n each shouldered portion, a switch blade pivotally mounted near the bottom of the recess, one set of terminals connected to a common conductor, carried in a passage extending longltudlnally through the base, said base being provided with spaced passages extending transversely for receiving conductors, one of which connects with a switch blade and anotherwith the other switch terminal, said bases being pro-L vgroove slidably mounted therein, the conductors leading to the gap being adapted to connect with the spark plugs and the other conductors With the' terminals of sparking coils.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. OTTO T. PAIKE. Witnesses:

ELMER R, EssINe'roN, FRED E. CRANE. 

